Creating, Modifying, and Deleting Folders
SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services provides a folder hierarchy for addressing items that are stored and managed by a report server. With the exception of the root node and a small number of reserved folders used to support existing features (for example, My Reports folders), folders in the folder hierarchy are user-defined. You can create, modify, and delete folders as necessary to organize report server content.
To work with folders, use Report Manager or Management Studio. How you work with folders depends on tasks that are part of your role assignment. If you are using default security, local administrators can create and manage folders. If you use custom role assignments, the role assignment must include tasks that support folder management. For more information about role assignments and tasks, see Managing Permissions and Security for Reporting Services and Tasks and Permissions in Reporting Services.
| To do this | Include these tasks |
|---|---|
Create, view, and delete folders, and set folder properties. |
Manage folders |
View the items in a folder. |
View folders |
Add non-folder items to a folder. |
Manage reports, Manage data sources, Manage resources |
Creating Folders
You can create a folder within any accessible folder in the hierarchy. Folders are always created in-place; therefore, before you create the folder, navigate to the place in the folder hierarchy where you want the folder to be. After a folder exists, you can set its properties.
Note
In Management Studio, all user-defined folders are created under Home. Management Studio includes a fixed set of folders used to group roles, jobs, shared schedules, subscriptions, shared data sources, and report history snapshots. These folders have restrictions on what can be added to them (for example, the Role Definitions folder can contain only new and existing roles). You cannot create user-defined folders in this fixed set of folders.
Modifying Folder Properties
After a folder is created, you can modify properties to rename the folder, add or modify the description, or move the folder to another location. Ihese properties are available on the General properties page for the folder. For more information about setting properties that control access to a folder, see Securing Folders.
Deleting Folders and Folder Contents
When you delete a folder, you delete all of the items that it contains. Before you delete a folder, you should inspect its contents to determine whether it contains items that may be referenced or used by other items in another part of the folder hierarchy. Referenced items include report definitions that support linked reports, shared data sources, and resources.
If you delete a report that has one or more linked reports that reference it, the linked reports will become invalid after you delete the report. You cannot determine in advance which linked reports are affected, because a report does not retain information about linked reports that are based on it. You can, however, review the properties of a linked report to find out which report it is based on. In contrast, shared data source items list all reports that currently use the item so that you can easily determine whether the connection information is in use. For more information, see Creating, Modifying, and Deleting Shared Data Sources. Finally, resources that are used by reports do not identify those reports.
Before you delete a folder, consider whether you need to retain the report history of any report you are about to delete or a report-specific construct (such as a data-driven subscription) that is part of a report. If you may need any of this information, move the item out of the folder before you delete the folder.
The visibility of an item in a folder depends on both role assignments (that is, permission to view an item) and viewing options in effect for a folder. In Report Manager, you can set the Contents page to list view or details view. In some cases, a report or item may be hidden in list view. Be sure to view a folder in details view prior to deleting its contents.
See Also
Tasks
How to: Create, Delete, or Modify a Folder (Report Manager)
How to: Create, Delete, or Rename a Folder (Management Studio)
How to: Move an Item (Report Manager)
Concepts
Report Server Folder Hierarchy
Moving Items
Finding and Viewing Reports in Report Manager
Report Manager
Tasks and Permissions in Reporting Services
Other Resources
Managing Report Server Content